Chris Heckmann is a Professor of Media & Communication at Roger Williams University and graduate of UCLA’s Cinema & Media Studies Master of Arts program. When he’s not writing or teaching, he’s probably playing video games (or thinking about the next great Boston sports trade).
What is Production Design What Does a Production Designer Do? Production Design Tips Production design is everything that goes into making the world of a film – sets, props and more. But despite its importance, production design is a facet of filmmaking that I think many people take for granted. We often ascribe credit to… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Production Design — Winners Ranked
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → Inception is one… Continue reading Inception Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes, and Characters
Cinematography Terms Screenwriting Terms Film Terms There are a lot of intricacies in scripts that present challenges to even the most veteran of screenwriters. The process of writing a script is difficult enough but the vocabulary, abbreviations, and defintions related to the job can be a bit elusive. But don’t worry, we’re going to cover… Continue reading Screenwriting Terms — Abbreviations, Definitions & Vocab
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score TechniquesOpen menu Ultimate Guide to Sound Recording Filmmaker’s Guide to Sound Effect Techniques What is a Sound Bridge What is The Shepard Tone How to Design a… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Original Score: Top Winners Ranked
BasicsOpen menu Basics of Film Lighting What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Lighting EssentialsOpen menu 3-Point Lighting What is Key Light What is Fill Light What is Backlight What is Practical Lighting When is Golden Hour E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained… Continue reading Quasar Lights — Prices, Reviews of Quasar Science Lights
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → One of the… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay — Top 20 Ranked
Major Awards:Open menu Best Picture Best Director Best Actress Best Supporting Actress Best Actor Best Supporting Actor Writing & Visual:Open menu Best Original Screenplay Best Adapted Screenplay Best Film Editing Best Visual Effects Best Cinematography Animation & Production:Open menu Best Animated Short Film Best Animated Feature Film Best International Feature Film Best Costume Design Best… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Actress — Top 20 Winners Ranked
Editing EssentialsOpen menu What is Film Editing Types of Editing Transitions How to Become a Film Editor What is a Film Cut What is a Freeze Frame DownloadablesOpen menu Free Video Transitions Free Sound Effects for Video Editing Best Free Video LUTs Ding Sound Effect Download Muzzle Flash Effect Download Free Fog Overlay Templates Editing… Continue reading Final Cut Pro vs Premiere Pro — Prices, Specs, Pros & Cons
There are a lot of great kids movies to watch, whether you’re looking for something to show your children, niece/nephews, classroom, etc. – or you’re just looking to reconnect with your childhood. We’re going to rank the best kids movies of all time based on three criteria: visuals, creativity, and moral/insightful message. Note: we tried to… Continue reading Best Kids Movies of All Time — Classics Every Kid Should See
Poetry BasicsOpen menu What is a Poem How to Write a Poem What is a Stanza in a Poem What is a Haiku What is Prose What is an Ode Types of PoemsOpen menu Types of Poems Guide What is an Acrostic Poem What is an Epic Poem What is Lyric Poetry What is a… Continue reading Different Types of Poems and Poem Structures — A Writer’s Guide
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → The Godfather is… Continue reading The Godfather Script PDF Download: Plot, Quotes, and Analysis
So you want to be a sports photographer. Awesome! Sports photography is how we capture sports – but it’s also something more than that. Sports photography is an artistic medium for artists to express how they see the world of sports. We’re going to break down step-by-step how to shoot sports images, with camera tips… Continue reading Sports Photography Tips — Cameras, Lenses, Settings & More
BasicsOpen menu Basics of Film Lighting What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Lighting EssentialsOpen menu 3-Point Lighting What is Key Light What is Fill Light What is Backlight What is Practical Lighting When is Golden Hour E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained… Continue reading What is Chiaroscuro in Film? Definition, Techniques, & Examples
Every artist, photographer or otherwise, comes to a point in their creative process where they must look elsewhere for inspiration. As such, we felt it would be a great idea to compile a list of creative photography ideas. We’re going to touch on some creative and technical strategies that might stimulate your photographic eye –… Continue reading Creative Photography Ideas & Techniques To Get You Inspired
There’s no doubt about it: Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of all time. Stanley Kubrick was, in many ways, a perfectionist. As such, his filmography isn’t as expansive as those of his contemporaries. But for what Kubrick lacked in quantity he made up for in quality: Each film he directed was a… Continue reading Best Stanley Kubrick Movies — 13 Masterpieces Ranked (and Video Essay)
What is the best lens for portraits? This is a question that nearly every photographer asks and yet there is no definitive answer – suffice it to say that different camera lenses create different looking photographs. However, some lenses are better suited for portraits than others. We’re going to analyze some different focal length lenses… Continue reading What is the Best Lens for Portraits? — A Photographer’s Guide
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → The Step Brothers… Continue reading Step Brothers Script PDF Download: Quotes and Characters
How to Format a ScreenplayOpen menu Scene Headings Sluglines Action / Description Dialogue Transitions TV Script Format 101 FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free MORE and CONT’D are dialogue transitions that are used to mark the continuation of characters speaking in a screenplay. We’re going to show you how to… Continue reading What Does CONT’D Mean in a Screenplay & How to Use It
In April 2014, a YouTube channel named Every Frame a Painting was created and it changed the course of film criticism forever. Over the course of three years, Every Frame a Painting founders Taylor Ramos and Tony Zhou released 28 video essays addressing everything in film from the style of Akira Kurosawa to the editing… Continue reading What Happened to Every Frame a Painting? — A Eulogy
Which is better full frame vs APS C? Every camera is different – but most (not all) have a full frame or APS C sensor. But what is the difference between full frame and APS C? Or better yet: what is a full frame sensor? And what is an APS C sensor? We’re going to… Continue reading Full Frame vs. APS-C — Camera Sensor Pros & Cons Explained
